November 23 and 30 & December 7, 2020 / 9:00 – 10:30 AM EST
Co-organized by the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM), the CGIAR Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA), and African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD).
While there are many important ways to disseminate findings from agricultural development research, publishing in reputable, peer-reviewed journals is particularly important for researchers as a means to not only showcase their work but also solicit peer input, gauge how their own work compares with that of others, and enhance options for career advancement.
Deciding where to submit articles is a difficult choice, especially for early-career researchers. There is now an almost bewildering array of journals in almost every field. But all journals are not the same: they reach different audiences, with different business models, impact factors, and prestige. What are the factors one should take into consideration while deciding on a journal? What do editors really want? What makes editors decide what to desk reject and what to send out for review? How should one handle referee comments? What types of peer review are most useful—to editors, to authors, and to reviewers themselves?
The CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM), Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA), and African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) held a series of three webinars to address these questions.
Monday, November 23, 2020, 9:00 – 10:30 AM EST
Webinar #1: THE JOURNAL PUBLICATION LANDSCAPE
This webinar provides an overview of the publication process, reviews the overall landscape of journal publishing, and provides guidance on selecting a journal, including:
- Assessing journal audience, impact factors, and reputation
- Gated, open-access and hybrid business models
- How to distinguish predatory journals
- Overview of the process, from submission to publication, with tips for each stage
- Journal special issues.
Presenters:
Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Cheryl Doss, Senior Departmental Lecturer in Development Economics and Associate Professor, Oxford Department of International Development
Chair:
Frank Place, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM)
A recording of the webinar (in video and podcast version) and the slides can be found here.
Monday, November 30, 2020, 9:00 – 10:30 AM EST
Webinar #2: ADVICE FROM JOURNAL EDITORS
This webinar consists of a panel discussion amongst editors or associate editors of leading journals, addressing what they look for in submissions, how to avoid “desk rejections”, how to handle reviews, proofing, and publicizing articles.
Panel:
- Matthew Sanderson, Editor-in-Chief, Agriculture and Human Values
- Ashok Mishra, Editor-in-Chief, Agricultural Economics
- Elizabeth King, Managing Editor, Journal of Development Effectiveness
- Laurens Klerkx, Editorial Advisory Board, Agricultural Systems
Chair:
Travis Lybbert, Professor, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis; former editor of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics; SPIA Special Initiative Member
A recording of the webinar (in video and podcast version) and the slides can be found here.
Monday, December 7, 2020, 9:00 – 10:30 AM EST
Webinar #3: WRITING AND RESPONDING TO REFEREE REPORTS
This webinar focused on the specifics of the referee process—how (and why) to do good reviews, and how to respond to referee comments received. The session included sample “revise and resubmit” reviews.
Presenters:
Cheryl Doss, Senior Departmental Lecturer in Development Economics and Associate Professor, Oxford Department of International Development
J. V. Meenakshi, Professor, Delhi School of Economics; SPIA Member
Chair:
Michele Mboo-Tchouawou, Deputy Director, Programs, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD)
A recording of the webinar (in video and podcast version) and the slides can be found here.
